Events that should be eliminated

[Guest]

OK- this one should be fun. What events should be eliminated from track and field- and why?

My pick: race walking. Why: Boring. Chases off fans. Inconsistent with the rest of track. (It's not just about getting to the finish first- it's about getting to the finish first while adhering to a set of rules about knee position and contact w/ground.)

[MJR]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

>OK- this one should be fun. What events should
>be eliminated from track and field- and
>why?

My pick: race walking. Why: Boring.
>Chases off fans. Inconsistent with the rest of
>track. (It's not just about getting to the
>finish first- it's about getting to the finish
>first while adhering to a set of rules about
>knee position and contact w/ground.)

OK, I'll tackle this AGAIN, and hope its not GH just mess'n w/ me.

The only parts of T&F that need to be removed are ignorance & drugs. We'll deal with ignorance here.

If something is boring to you, look at something else. There are over 20 events in the sport, something will interest you, otherwise leave the event and its practicioners alone. The event does NOT chase off fans, although the US media does nothing to help it's image in attracting fans.

All races in T&F have rules that restrict the movement of athletes in their quest to finish first. Sprints require that you not enter another athlete's lane. Hurdles require that you navigate over barriers, sometimes they put a water jump in for the amusement of spectators. Relays require you to pass a baton to your teammate within a set zone w/o impeding that ability of another team. Walks require that you don't run - which means that you must do what makes walking biomechanically different thatn running. Straighten the knee on contact and keep it straightened until it is no longer supporting the body's weight, and maintain contact w/ the ground at all times as per the eye of the judges.

Class dismissed.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

Sprints require that you
>not enter another athlete's lane.


Class dismissed.

Not quite. Actually, on a strait, a runner may run in all 8 lanes as long as he doesn't impede another runner. On the curves, a runner may take 3 steps out of his lane as long as he doesn't impede the progress of another competitor. A small point, but if you are going to bash someone for ignorance, kindly find out what you are talking about first.

I agree that the race walk should be eliminated, because the METHOD of movement is governed. Oh, and it bores the hell out of me.

NOW class is dismissed.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

I am not a race walker, and quite honestly have scant interest, but WHY eliminate it ? Is is hurting you or anyone else ? These walkers are champion athletes, make no mistake about it.

NO events should be eliminated.... anyone complaining about the ADDITION of the women's pole vault ? Hardly.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

>I am not a race walker, and quite honestly have
>scant interest, but WHY eliminate it ? Is is
>hurting you or anyone else ? These walkers are
>champion athletes, make no mistake about it.
>

NO events should be eliminated.... anyone
>complaining about the ADDITION of the women's
>pole vault ? Hardly.

If that is your attitude, why not add three-legged races, pogo-stick contests, water balloon races, the softball throw, egg races, ect. ect. Where does it stop?

[Arnie]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

Is there a dumber distance then the High School 1600 meters?

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

The walks may be uninteresting to most of us, but I can't see how eliminating them would help the sport one iota. As it is now, they are only held as part of meet programs during select championships, and even then, they usually are held or finish during sessions where they would hardly interfere with anything else. They in no way distract from anything else.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

Mr. Anno, your comments are not worthy of an answer. If you are going to draw a parallel please try to do a better job.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

OOPS ! I Apologize ! I meant to direct that last e mail to MJR, not Not So anonymus ( I can't spell it either )

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

oops again. It is Not So Anonymus after all.

And nothing personal, Mr. Anno, sorry.

Steve

[Halfmiler]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

The only thing that may be dumber than the 1600 meters is the 3200 meters!

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

And dumber yet is the distance they do at Falmouth, but it's still a really popular race. When we were kids, we raced to the corner. The distance doesn't really matter, the competition does. But I still agree that NFHS should switch to the 1500.

We should not eliminate any event. Hard as it is to believe, some people LOVE the walks. Most of them don't live in the USA.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

While the 1600 doesn't conform to the rest of the world (college, international, etc), it does perhaps make more sense to run 4 laps around the track instead of 3.75. As far as the mile is concerned... no need for a separate finsish line.

In some ways, the 1600 meters has more signifance than 1500 meters. Does anybody no why the 1500 is considered the mile equivalent?

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

>While the 1600 doesn't conform to the rest of the
>world (college, international, etc), it does
>perhaps make more sense to run 4 laps around the
>track instead of 3.75. As far as the mile is
>concerned... no need for a separate finsish
>line.

In some ways, the 1600 meters has more
>signifance than 1500 meters. Does anybody no why
>the 1500 is considered the mile equivalent?

I don't consider it a mile equivalent, I consider it 1.5 kilometers, a perfectly fine race distance, just like the 3K, 5K or 10K. 1.6K or 3.2K? That's a bit goofy.

[Guest]

Re: Events that should be eliminated

The mile is 1600 meters. Why is running 109 less meters than a mile more appropriate to running only 9 less meters.

A mile is essentially 4 laps around the track -- just like the 1600